Vitamin A Deficiency During Rat Pregnancy Alters Placental TNF‐α Signalling and Apoptosis

Abstract

Maternal vitamin A deficiency is associated with abnormal placental apoptosis induced by neutrophil derived TNF-alpha acting through the TNFR1 (p55) and/or a change in the bcl-2/bax ratio in the trophoblast giant cells. These changes may underlie the effects of vitamin A deficiency on foetal development.